Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Shooting Off His Mouth

To paraphrase the late Desi Arnaz, "General McChrystal, you've got some 'splainin' to do." Based on comments the General made to Rolling Stone magazine, it sounds like he isn't too fond of his boss, the Commander in Chief. McChrystal complained that he was being handed an "unsellable position," and that waiting for the President to decide on the number of troops he would send to Afghanistan was "painful."These are tough times for all of us, whether we are waiting for news from Iran or North Korea, or waiting to see what washes up on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, or simply wondering what the next catastrophe will be. But in Afghanistan, the war rages on, having recently become the longest running conflict in American history. It still has a few years to go before it overtakes "Cats," but nine years later, the United States is no closer to victory than when the war first began.Why is that? Too much politics, not enough troops on the ground? Perhaps, but it is certain that the public's interest in armed conflict has dipped to a dangerous ebb. Having to do the politically correct dance between supporting our troops and being against a war that has lost its focus keeps plenty of folks on the sidelines. After nine years, it's hard to get as riled up, one way or the other. And yet, that's what General McChrystal and all the soldiers in his command have to do every day. He seems to be lining himself up for his Douglas MacArthur moment, getting ready to fade away. Unfortunately, even as he prepares his letter of resignation, the bullets and rockets continue to fly and the bombs continue to explode. It made me think of Corporal Klinger, always on the lookout for his Section Eight, always looking for a way to get home. Is it really that crazy for a soldier, even one of very high rank, to act a little nuts in order to be sent home?